https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-685-Lanchi-Heard-About-That-Fairy-Sister/12585078/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-687-Lanchi-s-Decisive-Battle-in-the-Magical-Land-of-Flower-City-Part-1-/12585097/
Chapter 686: Tata, the Optimistic Girl Favored by Lanchi
Chapter 686: Tata, the Optimistic Girl Favored by Lanchi
After bidding a solemn farewell to Rosalind and Atio, Lanchi and Tata left the opulent office.
"Tata, return to your original form," Lanchi said to Talia beside him.
Talia, who had spent the entire afternoon taking the Platinum-level Card Maker exam, could now be recalled so that Lanchi could gradually recover his magic power.
Talia glanced at him but remained silent.
However, she vanished on the spot and merged into Lanchi's soul space.
She felt that this guy truly treated her like one of his magic cards.
After turning a corner of the staircase, Lanchi continued alone.
He walked down the corridor, past the lengthy murals of the Lost Empire and aged plaster niches along the walls. His footsteps were muffled by the thick carpet, leaving the entire passageway quiet.
"I'm going to rest now. Call me if anything comes up," Talia's thought-voice sounded.
"Alright, alright, get some rest," Lanchi replied in his mind.
Earlier, Talia had devoured an entire box of coconut pastries, and now it was time for her to sleep.
"..." Talia hesitated, unsure of what to say.
After hearing what Boss Cat had said, she was torn between scolding or rewarding Lanchi.
Although she felt the urge to discipline him somehow, she decided to try a change in strategy first and observe the results.
Occasionally, the distant chatter of tourists could be heard.
As they reached the end, the heavy walnut doors swung open to reveal a straight staircase leading outside the arena.
Lanchi, now with brown hair and green eyes, descended the steps into the dimly lit night, the brightness of the lights outside growing more apparent. Finally, he arrived at the outdoor plaza of the Holy Silvervine Arena.
He scanned the surroundings and soon spotted a black-clad figure standing in the square.
The man wore a well-tailored black dress suit with a casual overcoat draped over it. His neat, short brown hair framed his sharp features, and his jawline was resolute.
He stood with one hand tucked into his coat pocket and the other holding a long-handled black umbrella.
Today, the executioner, Nigel, was not in his military uniform but dressed more appropriately for a formal banquet.
As he noticed Lanchi approaching, he gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"Where's Tata?" Nigel inquired, aware that Tata had been in the Holy Silvervine Arena just moments ago.
In the blink of an eye, only Lanchi, now in his Rocher form, remained.
"She's nearby, just invisible to us. She'll appear if there's any danger," Lanchi replied as he reached Nigel's side.
"Good," Nigel affirmed, confident in Tata's capabilities.
He even suspected that Lanchi and Tata might be the same person—a single soul inhabiting two bodies, or perhaps two souls in one body.
"There might be some uncertainties tonight. Can I trouble you to keep this safe for me overnight?" Nigel contemplated for a moment before handing Lanchi a crystal key pendant.
"No problem," Lanchi murmured, holding the crystal key.
He could sense that it was a mithril-type magic artifact mechanism, capable of opening or closing something, but even he, a master craftsman, couldn't decipher its specific function at that moment.
Since Nigel didn't offer further explanation about the key, Lanchi didn't pry. Perhaps Nigel believed that keeping it with Lanchi was safer, ensuring that he could fight without worries during uncertain times.
"About the curse spreader you mentioned last time, have you encountered him again in the past few days?" As they headed north toward the Posen Magic Realm, Lanchi questioned Nigel.
A few days ago, after the second round of the Platinum-level exam, Nigel had sought out Lanchi and Tata, and they had speculated that the curse spreader would likely act tonight. However, judging from Nigel's somber expression today, he seemed uncertain about their chances of victory.
"Several more colleagues have fallen victim to him in the Posen Magic Realm. He's powerful and highly skilled in curses and disguises. That deep blue flame he wields is also incredibly dangerous—once it touches you, the accompanying curse is difficult to purge," Nigel explained, struggling to analyze the true strength of the curse spreader.
It was challenging to capture him because he could disguise himself as anyone—human or demon, young or old. Only when he attacked could they discern his unique magical aura.
Each pursuit was accompanied by numerous sacrifices.
Yet, the opponent seemed to be toying with them, his mocking gaze conveying that a formal clash was imminent.
"Do you have any reference points? For example, how does he compare to your teacher in terms of strength?" Lanchi fixed his gaze on Nigel's clenched fist, sensing the anger he held toward the curse spreader.
"The oppressive aura he carries is comparable to my teacher's... Perhaps my teacher can handle him, or it could be said that if even my teacher can't defeat him, then he has nothing to fear in the Posen Magic Realm," Nigel replied after a moment's thought.
"How strong are the lords of the Posen Magic Realm?" Lanchi inquired, having only met the 7th District Lord, Astros, and the 9th District Lord, Atio, so far.
However, he knew nothing about Nigel's teacher, the 10th District Lord, Perlman.
"I'm not sure how to describe or compare their strengths. When I fought my teacher in the past, I was still below the seventh rank, and he felt like a god to me. No matter how many of me there were, I couldn't stand against him," Nigel answered thoughtfully. "And it's been a long time since I ventured deep into the Posen Magic Realm. I can only confirm that my teacher is the strongest, followed by Atio, and then the lords of the 7th and 8th districts."
"Nigel shook his head.
"...'
Lanchi thought for a moment. He needed to gauge the overall strength of the Posen Magic Realm to avoid tactical errors in the event of an encounter with the curse spreader.
Taking out a communication magic card, he began to contact his information supplier.
'It's the weekend, so the information broker should be available today,' Lanchi said to Nigel.
Nigel was slightly surprised that Lanchi knew an information broker in the Flower City of Pariah.
They were now approaching the 6th district border.
The Holy Silvervine Arena was just a kilometer away from the entrance to the Posen Magic Realm.
Gusts of cold wind swept through, picking up sand and stones that caused the patrolling guards to squint and brace themselves against the wind.
On this late August evening in Pariah, dark clouds hung in the sky, and the air was damp and oppressive.
Finally, the communication went through.
'Mr. Zefa, do you have any information on the strength of the current lords of the Posen Magic Realm?' Lanchi asked without delay.
'...'
There was no response from the other end of the communication.
Nigel stared at Lanchi, his eyes wide with shock.
'You mean, the information broker you mentioned is the Police Chief?' The Pariah Police Headquarters, an age-old institution responsible for maintaining public safety and order in Pariah and its vicinity, was one of the most important security agencies in the Posen Kingdom, directly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Its work was vastly different from that of the Senate's enforcement forces, and it indeed held a wealth of information.
However, the communication magic card remained dim, with no response forthcoming.
The leaves of the Chinese parasol trees lining the streets had started to turn yellow, and a heavy downpour would likely cause them all to fall. Pedestrians hurried along, their coats wrapped tightly around them, seemingly eager to get home before the rain began.
'Mr. Diviner, could you please divine the strength of the current lords of the Posen Magic Realm for me?' Lanchi asked again.
'73, 72, 80, 84.'
The other end of the communication only gave him four numbers.
Lanchi didn't ask further, but he understood Zefa's meaning.
These numbers corresponded to a more refined power scale within the same tier, based on a system that had emerged from the Kingdom of Hutton a year ago.
The 7th District Lord Astros, whom they had faced before, was likely at level 73.
And the 9th District Lord Atio had just advanced to the eighth tier, placing her at level 80.
According to another power scale, 80 to 81 was considered a standard eighth tier, 82 to 84 was a stronger eighth tier, 85-86 was a quasi-bishop eighth tier, 87-88 was the so-called strongest in the world, the bishop tier, and 89 and beyond, approaching 90, was the super-bishop tier.
'By the way, if you're planning to visit the Posen Magic Realm, it's best to conceal your human aura. Otherwise, you might encounter protesting or extreme members of the demon tribe, and there have already been several violent clashes near the 6th district border of Flower City in the past two days.'
The communication magic card flashed again as Chief Zefa offered a reminder.
'Why is that?' Lanchi asked, bringing the card closer.
'The increasing intensity of the Senate's investigations in the Posen Magic Realm has stirred up discontent among the demon tribe residents, who believe that the Senate is staging these incidents. There's even a rumor going around that the [Parloni's Record of Resentment], this magical artifact, is actually in the hands of the Senate, and the reason the curse hasn't been severed in nearly a hundred years is that the Senate is up to something nefarious.'
Upon hearing the police chief's revelation, Lanchi glanced at Nigel.
'...'
Nigel remained silent, his hand clenched tightly.
A hundred years ago, after the execution of the Great Wizard Parloni, information about the whereabouts and nature of his curse-inflicting magical artifact had gradually been erased. However, the curse itself had not disappeared during this century, though its frequency had decreased significantly.
To the demon tribe living in this land, it was like an incurable disease, a death sentence for anyone afflicted.
Many years ago, he had personally executed his teacher's second daughter because she had been cursed and gone berserk.
'Why is it that only the demon tribe of the Posen Kingdom is affected by this curse? There haven't been any such cases among the demon tribe in Helrom,' Lanchi mused inwardly.
'Indeed, in the past hundred years, I haven't heard of any cases of demon tribe members in the Northern or Southern Continent going berserk due to this curse, either,' Talia affirmed through their mental link. 'Based on my analysis, it doesn't seem to be contagious.'
While the Northern Continent didn't have autonomous demon tribe territories like the Posen Kingdom, there were a few remaining demon tribe members and half-breeds, such as those Lanchi had encountered in the Protoss Empire.
It seemed that both sides agreed that the curse-induced madness was not present in the Northern Continent.
It didn't seem to be like an infectious disease but rather indicated the presence of a persistent source of pollution.
'I apologize that I don't have any suitable compensation to offer this time,' Lanchi said, snapping back to attention.
'Don't mention it. Consider it a favor for Lady Rosalind,' Chief Zefa replied before ending the call.
As an acquaintance of Lady Rosalind, he was more than happy to exchange favors with a platinum-level card maker.
'Your teacher, Perlman Quailston, is truly powerful,' Lanchi said, surprised to learn about such a formidable member of the demon tribe in Pariah.
Perlman was capable of holding his own even against a quasi-bishop-level opponent.
Generally, the greatest advantage of the long-lived species was time itself—the ability to cultivate slowly. If one's talent was exceptional, the payoff curve suggested that challenging the Shadow World, a risky endeavor that offered rapid growth, was not worth the gamble.
And with time, compared to obtaining natural magic cards from the Shadow World, cultivating and researching spells on their own, or developing magic artifacts and exchanging resources for magic cards seemed like more favorable options in terms of expectations.
Of course, if one urgently needed to become stronger or had extreme ambitions, they might also choose to enter the Shadow World.
Lanchi couldn't help but think of a senior member of the demon tribe.
Even the newer generation of demons were almost stronger than this elder.
"Huh?"
Talia immediately responded to him with non-verbal thoughts.
Even without speaking, she could hear Lanchi's intense and uninterrupted thoughts—
We're both demons, so why is there such a big gap between us? Although it's true that the higher the level, the harder it is to train.
But you can't stay stagnant for a hundred years.
Among the long-lived demons still alive, you're only slightly stronger than Antanas, but she's a noble Shield Nai, and even if she's one level lower than you, she's more useful.
"Efatia is definitely not stronger than me."
Talia suppressed her anger and said with certainty.
She constantly reminded herself that since Lanchi had drawn a picture for her today, she would let him off the hook for now.
Back then, the high officials of the Demon World had said that if Efatia could become a Great Demon, she wouldn't be disturbed by her princess-like demeanor and responsibilities anymore.
And so, Efatia reached the eighth tier and easily advanced to become a Great Demon. After that, she stopped cultivating.
So, according to Lanchi's level argument, Efatia must have remained a level 80 gatekeeper for a hundred years, and she was definitely not as strong as her older sister.
"What if she suddenly feels like cultivating one day?"
Lanchi questioned.
"..."
Talia thought for a moment and felt a sense of crisis.
It seemed that before she knew it, she would become the weakest Great Demon.
"Impossible. Rosalind said that Efatia has become even more lackadaisical since coming to the human kingdom. She's definitely not stronger than me."
Although Talia admitted that she had become a bit decadent during her time in Ikelite, she believed that Efatia, who was already quite decadent in the Demon World, would only become more so. After all, she had even gotten married and settled down, so she probably wouldn't cultivate anymore in this lifetime.
Just thinking about this made Talia's sense of guilt disappear.
"Never mind, Tata. In a way, your sister has already won a lot."
"What do you mean?"
"Tata, the recommended candidate from the Hutton Kingdom, unmarried, 25 years old."
"I'll kill you, Lanchi!"
While communicating with Talia in his mind, Lanchi also chatted with Nigel as they walked towards the entrance of the Posen Magic Realm.
"My teacher wasn't part of the Demon World's army a hundred years ago. He was a demon scholar from the Northern Continent, and he advocated for peace between humans and demons during the war. That's why he received preferential treatment from the Posen Kingdom after the demons' defeat."
Nigel replied to Lanchi, his tone laced with hidden respect.
A long time ago, his teacher had been a demon scholar left over from the war era, and Nigel had been an orphan taken in by him.
Although master and disciple had grown somewhat estranged, he couldn't deny that many of his views had been influenced by his teacher.
They passed through a narrow alley and came to the side of an old church.
Pushing open a door made of weathered oak and brushing aside the covering vines, their vision suddenly brightened.
From there, the two of them entered a spacious hall that served as the indoor checkpoint to the Posen Magic Realm; they just had to pass through the inspection gate to enter.
"Now I understand."
Lanchi felt that he could somewhat comprehend why Nigel was different from the average demon.
Nigel treated humans and demons equally and maintained a clear and steadfast mindset, which was uncommon among demons.
It was all because he had been taught by such a teacher from a young age.
"It seems that after the creation of the Demon World, Perlman and the Posen Kingdom mutually benefited each other. Over the course of a hundred years, he not only reached the eighth tier but also became one of the stronger entities within it. The current prosperity of the Posen Magic Realm must be largely due to Perlman's efforts."
Talia commented in Lanchi's mind.
The idea of humans and demons coexisting harmoniously was something Talia herself considered an incredible and ideal situation.
However, through a century of effort, Perlman had somehow made it a reality.
"Indeed, this unwavering commitment to a goal over a long period is truly admirable. In contrast..."
Lanchi sighed, unwilling to continue.
"In contrast to what?"
Talia's voice grew colder.
"Sometimes, letting go is also a form of wisdom. The stronger one's obsession, the more terrifying and extreme they become once it shatters. That's why I say that in contrast, a certain princess with a mature outlook on life has a wisdom that is truly worth learning from."
Lanchi said seriously to Talia.
"Are you trying to provoke me?"
Talia now understood what Lanchi, the old yin-yang master, was saying.
"How could I?"
Lanchi transmitted his thoughts innocently.
"Wait till the demons truly restore their nation one day. I might just have to make you a grand duke. Then we'll see how history books in the human world evaluate you."
Talia coldly smiled and fell asleep, no longer paying him any mind.
"You're truly an optimistic girl, Tata."
Lanchi laughed heartily.
Indeed, Tata's optimism always brought him endless joy and made him laugh out loud.
(End of Chapter)
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